Meaning

7 senses
  1. (transitive)To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination.

    I unlocked the door and walked in.

    aufschließen, entriegeln

    отпира́тьotpirátʹ, отпере́тьotperétʹ

    open the lock of

  2. (transitive)To obtain access to something; to meet the requirements of a security or protection system.

    I unlocked the dictionary article so I could edit it.

    This computer game is shareware, but you can pay for a code to unlock the full version.

    freischalten

  3. (transitive)To configure (a mobile phone) so that it is not bound to any particular carrier.

  4. (transitive)To disclose or reveal previously unknown knowledge or potential.

    The discovery of a clue unlocked the mystery.

  5. (intransitive)To be or become unfastened or unrestrained.

    become unlocked

  6. (figuratively, transitive)To make available.

  7. (transitive)To undermine something that has control over a situation; to find a way to counter or oppose.

Examples

393 sentences
  1. Tom unlocked his car and got in.

    Том відівмкнув машину і сів усередину. — deniko

  2. Tom asked me to leave the door unlocked.

    Том попрохав мене лишити двері незамкненими. — deniko

    ruТом попросил меня оставить дверь незапертой. — Selena777

  3. I left it unlocked.

    Я залишив її незачиненою. — shanghainese

    ruЯ оставил его незапертым. — odexed

    deIch ließ es unverschlossen. — Tamy

  4. Tom unlocked the door.

    Том відімкнув двері. — deniko

    ruТом отпер дверь. — marafon

  5. Tom unlocked his suitcase.

    Том відімкнув свою валізу. — deniko

Translations

8 languages
Русский
By meaning 1
to undo or open a lock:
Deutsch
By meaning 2
to undo or open a lock:
give access to something:

Origin

From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), e

From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

unlocks, unlocking, unlocked, unlocked
Base formunlock · to unlock
3rd person singularunlocks
Present participleunlocking
Past simpleunlocked
Past participleunlocked

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyunlock
he, she, itunlocks

Past simpleLesson

all personsunlocked

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave unlocked
he, she, ithas unlocked

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill unlock

Antonyms

1 antonyms

Word family

4 related words

Collocations

12 patterns
  • unlocked the door
  • the door unlocked
  • door unlocked
  • door was unlocked
  • pocket and unlocked
  • an unlocked window
  • his windows unlocked
  • windows unlocked
  • his door unlocked
  • and unlocked the
  • an an unlocked
  • to unlock the

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
unlock — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto